Treatment for tear troughs and thin undereye skin?

I went to a doctor out of town for correction of my tear troughs, he told me that since I had such thin skin underneath my eyes, Restylane might not work well, and find somewhere closer to home in case of complications. Now I'm wondering if a filler or fat grafting would never be able to fix it, and if I have to live the rest of my life looking tired and older than my actual age? Also I've heard of laser treatment that thickens the skin underneath the eye. Is that really safe, and if so, what is it actually called?

Sort: Date | Helpful
18 answers to “Treatment for tear troughs and thin...”

A: Fillers, especially fat, work well under eyes

Parham Ganchi, MD

I would recommend fat injection to improve the tear troughs and lower lid-cheek area.  This is a procedure that requires experience. Make sure you find someone who does this regularly and look at his results. If done properly, this is a wonderful procedure with beautiful results and is minimally invasive.... more

A: Tear troughs and skin around eyes

William Portuese, MD

Tear trough implants can be performed as a cheek augmentation to try to augment the flat cheek area as well as the tear troughs. The thin skin underneath the eyelids will not be affected by the tear trough implants. It is not advisable to have any injectable fillers placed around the eyelids because of the... more

A: Tear troughs respond well to fillers

William Coleman III, MD

Tear troughs respond well to fillers,especially fat. Restylane and Juvederm also perform well in the tear trough. It is important to find a physician who has lots of experience injecting fillers into these areas because this is a more advanced tissue augmentation procedure.

A: Treatment of the tear trough

Ronald Shelton, MD

Tear troughs are often treated by doctors injecting underneath the muscle so that the thin skin is not an issue. There are risks with any procedure and it would be a good idea to have it done closer to home in case you need to see your physician afterwards. Laser treatments can help build up the collagen.... more

A: Laser resurfacing can thicken skin, fillers work, and fat injections may be the key

Philip Young, MD

The tear trough is a tough area. This area is located between the nose and the lower eyelid and is situated not above the bone as most people believe but above the soft tissue of the eye socket and eyelid. People have tried repositioning of the eye socket fat into that area.  This can work but has been... more

A: a combination of Restylane and a laser often work well

Shahram Salemy, MD

 The tear troughs are a common problem area and there are multiple options for improvement.  My personal preference is to use Restylane to fill the trough, followed by either a laser or chemical peel to smooth and tighten the skin.  Together, this produces a very reproducible and safe result in... more

A: Tear troughs and thin eyelid skin

Bryan K. Chen, MD

Restylane for correction of the tear trough area when injected in the correct location can still work well in people with thin eyelid skin.  Loose/thin eyelid skin can be tightened and somewhat thickened with fractional laser (CO2 or Erbium) or chemical resurfacing.  Depending on your skin type, to... more

A: Treatment of the Tear Trough

Farbod Esmailian, MD

Not necessarily.  Tear trough can be fixed with fillers that are placed deep to the muscle over the bone, so it is not a matter of how thin the skin is.  Also a more permanent procedure may be to have a lower eyelid surgery but to have the fat transposed to the tear trough to smoothen the transition... more

A: Fillers may work well in this area

David A. Robinson, MD

The tear trough area can be challenging to deal with.  One minimally invasive way to address this area is by using soft tissue fillers (Restylane, Juvederm).  This procedure has been gaining in popularity however, should be done by someone who is experienced injecting in this area. My recommendation... more

A: Lower lid treatment

Steven Wallach, MD

In order to get good results in the tear trough region, you have to find a qualified doctor who treats this area frequently so that it can be done correctly.  

Post your question

Restylane before & after photos

Post your question
IMPORTANT: As noted in our Terms of Service, the information found on RealSelf.com, including that provided by professionals in the Questions & Answers area, is a general educational aid. The Questions and Answers contain opinions and views created by community members. RealSelf.com is not responsible for the accuracy of any information posted by community members. Do not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical or healthcare advice, or for diagnosis or treatment purposes.